Online Reporter
After quiet pit-stops in Helsinki, Trondheim, Stockholm, and Gothenburg, matches in Wroclaw and Dublin restored the full weight of the club’s massive global status. Hundreds gathered outside the team hotel in Wroclaw for the summer‘s largest turnout, with fans crowding and pushing to reach the front line.
United started and ended their pre-season in defeat, with two wins over Rosenborg and Atletico and two draws against Paris Saint-Germain and Leeds. So, the positives.
There is excitement about £48million signing Andrey Santos internally and United feel he has caught up to speed quickly.
Santos, Ayden Heaven and Patrick Dorgu started all six friendlies, and the first two played particularly well across the board.
Santos perhaps had his weakest performance in the 4-2 defeat to Milan, but United were playing at a pre-season tempo and Harry Maguire confirmed in the mixed zone after the match that thoughts of avoiding injury played their part.
Bryan Mbeumo looks primed to replicate the explosive start of his debut campaign at Old Trafford, after dropping off following Afcon in January.
Shea Lacey, 19, was another standout from the opening matches and will continue to be eased into the first team this season.
Despite a poor showing against Milan, Carrick’s XI for Hull looks largely set, save for a potential swap with Mbeumo moving central and Matheus Cunha out wide. It has taken a massive effort over the past eight months from Michael Carrick to get the good vibes flowing again and lead United back to the Champions League. The card game Werewolf -which inspired the hit TV show The Traitors and the 1980s game Mafia – has become a squad favourite.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes has relished his role as the team’s own Claudia Winkleman. The squad played it every night at their hotel throughout the tour. In Dublin, Cunha was tricked into choosing fellow ‘‘wolf’’ Santos, meaning villager Senne Lammens won the game sparking huge celebrations.
The squad also played two rounds of golf in the Irish capital, with Carrick getting involved on Thursday afternoon after speaking to the media.
Table tennis also got extremely competitive and was great for team bonding, with Fernandes, Luke Shaw and Lacey the common winners.
Fifteen-year-old academy prodigy JJ Gabriel made his debut, featured in two matchday squads, and earned a spot at the team’s Maynooth training camp.
Despite the positive vibes, plenty of questions remained unanswered.
United’s squad is on the thin side and the lack of sales is halting their next move in the market.
United sources have stressed that their window should be judged after the September 1 deadline, not before it. But Santos likely starting at Hull on Saturday lunchtime is perhaps a clear sign that things haven’t gone entirely according to plan.
At 22 years old, the talented Brazilian made just 13 Prem starts at Chelsea last season, the majority coming under Liam Rosenior.
Santos told journalists in Gothenburg that he is ready to be Casemiro‘s replacement at No6 in midfield.But United have always had a dominant midfielder in the last 40 years, a big name that stands out.
Casemiro was that for United, no matter his form or age, although on a smaller scale than a Paul Ince or Roy Keane. Carrick was open about the club’s transfer needs last week, admitting, “We want more, we need more” signings.
More bodies are desperately needed in central midfield and United know they need to sign a runner who can cover ground.
Mason Mount potentially being the club’s ‘third’ midfielder is a poor bet given his unfortunate injury record. Mount was United’s best player over the opening matches of pre-season, but missed the last three entirely after being taken off as a ‘‘precaution’’ after a stamp on his foot in the 1-1 draw with PSG.
United are still in talks around signing Leicester City midfielder Louis Page, but the 18-year-old is still in the development stage of his career. – Sun
